THE IOWA SOCIETY 



SONS OF THE AMEEICAN EEVOLUTION 



ELBRIDGE DREW HADLEY 



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Rbprinted from thb Aprii, 1904 Number of 
THE IOWA JOURNAL OF HISTORY AND POLITICS 
Published at Iowa City Iowa by 
The State Hisxoricai, Society of Iowa 



THE IOWA SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF 
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 



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V: J11907 



THE IOWA SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF THE 
AMERICAN REVOLUTION V 

The Iowa Society of the Sons of the American Revolution 
is a part of the National Society of the Sons of the Amer- 
ican Revolution. It recognizes all State societies of Sons of 
the American Revolution as coequals and their members as 
compatriots. Societies now exist in thirty-six States, in the 
District of Columbia, in France, and in the Sandwich Islands. 
The membership of these societies all told is not less than 
eleven thousand. 

The objects of the Iowa Society of the Sons of the Amer- 
ican Revolution are essentially patriotic and educational on 
patriotic lines, and are best set forth in Ai'ticle III of its 
constitution which reads as follows: 

The objects of this society shall be to perpetuate the memory of 
the men, who by their services or sacrifices during the war of the 
American Revolution, achieved the independence of the American 
people; to unite and promote fellowship among their descendants; to 
inspire them and the community at large with a more profound rever- 
ence for the principles of the government founded by our forefathers; 
to encourage historical research in relation to the American Revolu- 
tion; to acquire and preserve the records of the individual services of 
the patriots of the war, as well as documents, relics and land -marks; 
to mark the scenes of the Revolution by appropriate memorials; to 
celebrate the anniversaries of the prominent events of the war; to 
foster true patriotism; to maintain and extend the institutions of 
American freedom; and to carry out the purposes expressed in the 



Preamble to the Constitution of our country and the injunctions of 
Washington in his farewell address to the American people. ' 

The classes of persons from which the membership of the 
society has been and may be drawn are enumerated in Article 
IV of the constitution, which provides that any man who is 
"of the age of twenty one-years or over, and a citizen of 
good repute in the community, is the lineal descendant of an 
ancestor, who was at all times unfailing in his loyalty to, 
and rendered actual service in, the cause of American inde- 
pendence, either as an officer, soldier, seaman, marine, mili- 
tiaman or minute man, in the armed forces of the Conti- 
nental Congress, or any one the several Colonies or States ; 
or as a signer of the Declaration of Independence ; or as a 
member of a Committee of Safety or Correspondence ; or as 
a member of any Continental, Provincial, or Colonial Con- 
gress or Legislature ; or as a civil officer, either of one of the 
Colonies or States or of the national government; or as a 
recognized patriot who performed actual service by overt 
acts of resistance to the authority of Great Britain" may 
become a member. 

Without attempting to trace the various steps which led 
to the formation of the National Society of the Sons of the 
American Revolution in 1889 by representatives of eighteen 
State societies, and which national organization had made 
substantial growth before the Iowa society was founded ; 
and without attempting to differentiate between the "Sons 
of the American Revolution" and the "Sons of the Revolu- 
tion," whose objects and aspirations are practically identical, 



' This recital of objects is taken from the constitution of the national society 
and applies to every society of Sons of the American Revolution. 



the history of the organization and progress of the Iowa 
Society of the Sons of the American Revolution will be 
briefly related in the following paragraphs. 

Public request having been made through the newspaper 
press that all gentlemen in Iowa who were descended from 
soldiers of the Revolution should make themselves known, 
and notice to such as responded having been given by Hon. 
H. E. J. Boardman of Marshalltown, a meeting preliminary 
to the organization of a State society of the Sons of the 
American Revolution was held on the 6th day of July, 1893, 
in the horticultural rooms of the Iowa State capitol at Des 
Moines, Iowa. 

The meeting was called to order at 10:30 A. M. by Hon. 
H. E. J. Boardman of Marshalltown, who in a brief address 
stated the object of the meeting. Franklin G. Pierce of 
Mai'shalltown was elected Secretary. A committee of three, 
of which Mr. Boardman should be chairman, was directed 
to be appointed by the chair "to take the names of the 
prospective members and so far as possible to look into 
their qualifications for membership. " The chair named as 
the other members of that committee, O. W. JMunsell of Des 
Moines and W. H. H. Asbury of Ottumwa. The following 
gentlemen were present at this first meeting: R. D. McGee- 
hon, Atlantic ; O. W. Munsell, Des Moines ; L. S. Kilborn, 
Marshalltown ; T. F. Bradford, Marshalltown ; J. H. Strong, 
Des Moines ; F. D. Hussey, Des Moines ; H. E. J. Board- 
man, Marshalltown ; F. G. Pierce, Marshalltown ; and W. 
H. H. Asbury, Ottumwa. 

At the afternoon session the committee reported the names 
of thirty-one persons who "have made such present or tem- 



6 

porary showing as to be eligible to vote and take part in 
the temporary organization." Their report was adopted. 
The following temporary oiBcers were then elected: Hon. 
H. E. J. Boardnian, President; J. H. Strong, Vice Presi- 
dent; F. G. Pierce, Secretary; and O. W. Munsell, Treas- 
urer. 

At the same meeting a committee consisting of J. R. 
Sage, Peter A. Dey, and J. H. Keatley was appointed to 
draft a constitution and by-laws. A committee consisting 
of the President, Vice President, and Secretary was appointed 
to pass upon questions of eligibility. The officers were in- 
structed to prepare a circular stating the objects of the 
Society and the qualifications of members, and send several 
copies to each of the temporary members. Finally the 
members adjourned to meet at the Iowa State capitol build- 
ing at 10:00 A. M., September 5, 1893. 

At the September, 1893, meeting, the committee on 
credentials reported a recommendation for the admission of 
the following persons as members: R. D. McGeehon, At- 
lantic; Samuel Berry Evans, Ottumwa; Frank Ashley Mil- 
lard, Burlington; W. H. H. Asbury, Ottumwa; D. C. Mott, 
What Cheer; Iram Allen Sawyer, Keokuk; Plenry E. J. 
Boardman, Marshalltown ; Theodei'ic F. Bradford, Marshall- 
town; Franklin Gilman Pierce, Marshalltown; Charles E. 
Boardman, Marshalltown; Charles H. E. Boardman, Mar- 
shalltown; Orson W. Munsell, Des Moines; Albert Strong, 
Winterset; W. P. Hepl)urn, Clarinda; Stephen B. Packard, 
Marshalltown; W. H. Bremner, Marshalltown; Levi B. Ray- 
mond, Hampton; Lucien S. Kilborn, Marshalltown; John R. 
Sage, Des Moines; Charles D. Shepard, Gilbert Station; 



Timothy Hunt, Grinnell; Frank S. Hunt, Dubuque; Erastus 
B. Soper, Emmetsburg; Edward H. Hazen, Des Moines; and 
Edmund M. Vittum, Grinnell. The report was adopted. 

A constitution was then reported and adopted; and per- 
manent officers were elected, who held office until January 
15, 1895. A vote was passed that all applicants whose 
cases shall be favorably acted upon by February 22, 1894, 
1)6 considered charter members. The organization being 
completed, the meeting adjourned sine die. 

All the gentlemen above mentioned became members of 
the society. Henry E. J. Boardman, Charles E. Board- 
man, and Orson W. Munsell have passed away. The others, 
with one exception, remain members to this day. 

The following compatriots have served as President of 
the Iowa society and in the order named: Hon. Henry 
Elderkin Jewett Boardman, Marshalltown; Col. Levi Beards 
ley Eaymond, Hampton; Col. Alljert Winfield Swalm, Os 
kaloosa; Hon. AVilliam Henry AVheeler, Des Moines; Hon 
George Herbert Richardson, Belmond; Major Francis Han 
mer Loring, Oskaloosa; Hon. Damon Noble Sprague 
Wapello; Hon. William Henry Baily, Des Moines; Prof 
Herman Knapp, Ames; and Col. Warren Scott Dungan 
Chariton. 

The following compatriots have served as Secretary 
Franklin Gilman Pierce, Esq., Marshalltown; Charles Henry 
Earnest Boardman, Esq., Marshalltown; Capt. Edwai'd 
Ridgway Hutchins, Des Moines; and Capt. Elbridge Drew 
Hadley, Des Moines. 

The several Treasurers have been: Capt. Erastus Bur- 
rows Soper, Emmetsburg; Herman Knapp, Esq., Ames; 



Willard Secor, Esq., Forest City; and Frank Benjamin 
Clark, Ottumvva. 

The society had but one Registrar, Dr. Edward Hamlin 
Hazen of Des Moines. 

As Historians the society has had the services of Capt. 
Samuel Berry Evans, Ottumwa; Judge Geo. W. Wake- 
field, Sioux City; and Dr. Edward Hamlin Hazen, Des 
Moines. 

The roll of Chaplains bears the names of Rev. Edmund 
March Vittum, Grinnell; Rev. Evarts Kent, Victor; Rev. 
Ira B. Ryan, Leon; Rev. Ezra Butler Newcomb, Keokuk; 
and Rev. James Balloch Chase, Ocheyedan. 

The total number admitted to membership in the Iowa 
society has been two hundred and thirty -seven. This 
means that the number of ancestors whose services are re- 
corded is about three hundred. The losses from death, 
transfers, and other "casualties" reach forty-two, leaving a 
membership to-day of one hundred and ninety-five. 

Local chapters have been organized in Iowa as follows: 
Lexington Chapter, Keokuk; Woodbury Chapter, Sioux 
City; Ottumwa Chapter, Ottumwa; Ben Franklin Chapter, 
Des Moines; Blackhawk Chapter, Wapello; and Washing- 
ton Chapter, Ames. 

Organized and existing in a locality many hundreds of 
miles distant from the scenes of the Revolution, military and 
political, it has of course been impracticable for the Iowa 
Society to preserve the "relics and land-marks" of the Revo- 
lution or to "mark the scenes of the Revolution by appro- 
priate memorials." However, the pursuit of historical re- 
search and the cultivation of true patriotism have been 



steadily kept in view, although unity in definite purpose has 
not been easily attained among compatriots widely scattered 
and of diverse education and occupation. 

One specific instance of the activity of the Iowa society 
may be given. When Iowa troops were called for partici- 
pation in the Spanish War of 1898, the Iowa society in 
annual session voted that a fiag be given to the first Iowa 
regiment to march to the war. In pursuance of this instruc- 
tion, President George Herbert Richardson, in well chosen 
words on behalf of the society, presented a beautiful silk 
flag to the Fiftieth Regiment of Iowa National Guard. It 
was borne with gallantry and came back without a stain, 
actual or figurative, and reposes in the cajntol building at 
Des Moines. 

The dead have also been remembered. About three 
years ago the attention of patriotic societies in Iowa was 
drawn to the fact that one or more soldiers of the Revolu- 
tionary War had spent their last days on Iowa soil. Atten- 
tion was first drawn to the grave of William Blair who was 
buried at Kossuth, in Des Moines County; and it was pro- 
posed by the Sons of the American Revolution to erect in 
the Historical Department at Des Moines a tablet to his 
memory. Before the matter took tangible shape it was 
found that five of the patriots of 1770 were known to have 
been buried in Iowa. These are: William Blair, Kossuth; 
John Osborn, Center Point; Timothy Brown, Washington; 
George Perkins, Lee county; and Charles Shepherd, near 
Mt. Pleasant. The first grave was marked by a fine monu- 
ment erected by descendants; the second had a monument 
erected by the G. A. R. and citizens; the third could not be 



10 

located except that it was in an aljaudoned cemetery; the 
fourth though identified was not marked; the fifth could not 
be found except that it was known to be in a certain forty 
acre tract. Later a monument was erected to Charles Shep- 
herd in the cemetery at Mt. Pleasant at the expense of the 
State. The grave of Timothy Brown has been found 
through the well directed efforts of Mr. A. R. Miller of 
Washington, Iowa, who took the matter up with zealous 
interest. The ashes of Timothy Brown have been re-in- 
terred in the Soldiers' Plat in a cemetery at Washington. 
It is understood that the Daughters of the American Revo- 
lution, who were largely instrumental in securing the State 
appropriation for the monument to Charles Shepherd, are 
moving to have fitting honor paid to the memory of George 
Perkins. 

So certain were the Sons of the American Revolution that 
all the well authenticated graves of Revolutionary soldiers 
in Iowa had become known, that the Iowa society, in their 
desire to render fitting honor to all, have had a bronze tab- 
let made commemorative of the lives and services of the 
five soldiers named and have had the same placed in the 
Hall of History of the Historical Department of Iowa, at 
Des Moines. The cost of the tablet was $26.5.00 in New 
York. It was designed and made by Tiffany & Co., and is 
artistic and elegant. 

Rumors have arisen from time to time of the existence of 
graves of other Revolutionary soldiers in Iowa; but upon 
investigation they were found groundless or mythical, or at 
least doubtful. The latest rumor is that of the existence of 
the grave of John Lepper, a Revolutionary soldier who was 



11 

buried near DeWitt. This rumor coming from a grandson 
living at Creighton, Nel)., has ujion investigation proved 
to be well founded. 

The information came by letter to Hon. Charles Aldrich, 
Curator of the Historical Department of Iowa, who with 
his usual zeal and promptness corresponded with the Com- 
missioner of Pensions, and from that official received definite 
information which shows that John Lepper was a Revolu- 
tionary soldier. Other items of interest relative to his ser- 
vice were also obtained from the same source. It appears 
that John Lepper enlisted in August, 1780, in Capt. Harri- 
son's company of New York troops (regiment not given) 
and served two and one-half months; enlisted again in 
April, 1781, in Capt. French's company of Col. Marinus 
Willet's regiment, and served nine months; enlisted and 
served later in Capt. Cannon's company of the same regi- 
ment fourteen months, making two years one and one-half 
months all told. He was engaged in the battle of Johns- 
town, which was fought in October, 1781, between Col. 
Willet's regiment and a force of British regulars, Tories, and 
Indians, under the Tory leader, AValter Butler, whose forces 
in the battle were routed. Lepper resided at Johnstown 
when he enlisted. He applied for a pension which was 
allowed October 17, 1832, his residence being Greenfield, 
Erie county, Penn. He married Mary Prime, August 28, 
1803, at Stone Arabia, N. Y. He died at DeWitt, Iowa, 
August 17, 1840. 

The death of John Lepper having occurred in 1810, there 
is very little probability that any person is living in DeWitt 
or in Clinton County who was there at the time of his death. 



12 

It is ascertained that he was buried about three miles north- 
west of DeWitt on the northwest quarter of the southwest 
quarter of section one in township eighty- one of range three. 

Persons living in DeWitt are confident of their ability to 
identify the grave of John Lepj)er when a suitable season 
arrives. The Iowa Society of the S(jns of the American 
Revolution, or individual members acting in its behalf, will 
then take steps to cause the grave of this soldier of the 
Revolution to be properly marked and duly honored. 

Coming in contact with mementoes of ])ast valor or im- 
pressed with memories of past struggles for liberty, one 
feels that he is in the invisible presence of great deeds, un- 
rivaled valor, a peerless patriotism, and the spirits of de- 
])arted heroes whose example cannot be too carefully 
guarded, whose deeds are worthy of most hearty commen- 
dation, whose services to freedom are j^riceless, whose mem- 
ories cannot be too highly cherished, and the fruits of whose 
triumph cannot receive a care that is too solicitous. 

And so for the preservation of these priceless possessions, 
for the purpose of impressing these lessons upon the people 
of to-day, for the honoring of the patriotic dead of the last 
third of the eighteenth century in America, the Sons of the 
American Revolution are organized. Among the patriotic 
orders of these days, the Sons of the American Revolution 
hold an honorable place. The growth of the order is in 
proportion to the completeness of the information brought 
home to those eligible to membership, as to its j)rinciples, 
its objects, and its work. 

The society is not maintained to afford opportunities for 
the members to admire each other on account of the patri- 



13 

otic stock from which they are descended. No one knows 
better than its members that the estimate in which the order 
is held does not depend so much upon who their ancestors 
ivere^ as upon what the members are. They are associated 
together not to draw attention to themselves — connected 
without their own volition by ties of consanguinity with a 
generation of patriots, — not to shine with the borrowed 
radiance of others' renown, but by emphasizing the patriot- 
ism of the fathers of the republic to instill lessons of patriot- 
ism into the minds of the people of America of to-day and 
their children for the well being of our country. 

The patriotic lessons of history they cannot teach except 
they learn them. To learn these lessons fully or approxi- 
mately the members must be zealous in the study of their 
country's history — an ever delightful occupation since that 
history has been glorious. 

Elbridge Drew Hadley 
Dks Moines, Iowa 



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